Locomotive ventilating and cooling system



Aug. 28, 1951 E. w. KETTERING LOCOMOTIVE VENTILATING AND COOLING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 7, 1948 Aug 28, 1951 E. w. KETTERING 2,566,212

LOCOMOTIVE VENTILATING AND COOLING SYSTEM 1 Bu c l VM l Gtforncg Patented Aug. 28, 1951 LOCOMOTIVE VENTILATING AND COOLING SYSTEM Eugene Williams Kettering, Hinsdale, Ill., assigner to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., t a corporation of Delaware Application August 7, 1948, Serial No. 43,056 II' This invention relates to Ventilating apparatus for railway vehicles and more particularly to such apparatus for use on generating electric locomotives.

`The wide variations in ambient temperatures'.I

of and impurities in the air required for engine combustion and also for cooling the engine and electric traction equipment driven thereby, together with that required by the air brake equip- 7 lClaims. (Cl. 237-124) ment on a generating electric locomotive throughout the year, makes it necessary to control the temperature of the air and remove impurities therefrom in order to insure eflicient operation and long life of the engine, ele-ctric traction and air brake equipment and provide com- Vfortable conditions for the locomotive crew especially in extremely cold weather and to prevent freezing of the engine coolant.

The principal object of this invention is to provide avery simple Ventilating and engine cooling system for a generating electric locomotive including simple control means for providing sufficient clean air at proper temperature for the locomotive power and air brake equipment to 4in- Isure efcient and troubleIfree operation thereof and comfortable Iconditions for the locomotive crewunder wide` variations in ambient temperature of and impurities in the air used.

The means by which this object saccomplished and other featuresof the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description of and drawings illustrating one form `of the invention included in the cab structure. of a diesel electric locomotive.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a partial side elevation view of the locomotive with parts broken away and in section to illustrate details of the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 1 taken on the longitudinal center line of the locomotive cab with parts broken away and in section.

`Figure 3 is a transverse sectional elevation 3 having three axles and attached wheels 5 and Iconventional nosesuspended traction motors 'I operatively connected to certain of the truck Vaxles in .conventional manner.,

Included inthe cab I is the power plant comprising a diesel engine 9 `operatively connected to a traction generator II supplying power to the traction motors 1 and also operatively connected to an alternator I3 supplying power to induction motor driven Ventilating and cooling fans,

I to be subsequently described. A blower I5 and an air brake compressor I6 are shown operativet ly connected to the engine 9 having an induction air pipe I 'I and each of` these machines receive air from the interior of `the cab I. The blower I5 forces air from the cab I through suitable ducts, not shown, to the traction generator and motors Il and 1 to cool them.

As bestillustrated in Figures 1, 3 and 4, the opposite side walls I8 ,of thelocomotive cab I are provided with cab ventilating air inlet openings I9 and also air inlet openings 2| for conventional engine coolant radiators to be subsequently described. The `air inlet openings I=9 and 2l are spaced longitudinally directly below the upper `side plate members, indicated generally at 23,

of the cab.4 Manually operable shutters 25 are located in each of the inlet openings I9 and a plurality of shutters 2.1 each manually operable are locatedin each ofthe air inlet openings 2| for controlling the Vair flow through these openings. The upper roof portion of the cab'between l the roof portions 29 and 3| is formed by a removable fabricated hatch, generally indicated at 33. This hatch comprises upper members of arcuate form servingas transverse carline members 35,I 35', 36 and 36 and lower chord members 31, 38 and 3B of angle form. These carlines and chords are secured at the ends to hatch side members 39 of Z Iform, shown in Figures 3 and 4, provided with a flange supported on each of the upper side plate Imembers 23 of the cabi above side airIinlet openings I9 and 2|. Aninverted channel member `4I is secured between the lower central portions of the hatch chord members 31 and engineIcoolant radiators 42 `are shown secured between Ithis lower central channel member 4I and each of the hatch side members 39. .y I I I v As best illustrated in Figures l, 2 and 3, inwardly and Iupwardly extending plates 43 `are `secured between the lower-edges of the air inlet openings 2| and the central member 4I of the hatch and vertical end plates 45 and 45' are secured to the ends of the plates 39, end edges Yof .the cab Ventilating fan 6|. ,erally indicated at 19, is provided with a bottom As best illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 4 other upwardly and inwardly extending plate members 49 are secured between the lower edges of the opposite cab side openings I9 and the hatch chord members 38 and 38 and end plates 5| and 5| are secured to the ends of these plates 49, the vertical end edges of the openings I9, the cab plate members 23, hatch side members 39, of the hatch chord members 38 and 36 and carlines 36 and 36 to form cab Ventilating air inlet ducts, generally indicated at 53.

As best seen in Figure 2, vertical transverse partitions 55 and 51 are secured between the hatch carlines 35 and 35'; chords 31 and themounted in inverted position by means of its housing flange 65 on adjacent chords 3B and 38 i and between end plates 5| Vand 5| of the cab Ventilating ducts 53 to serve as a cab Ventilating air inlet ani The lower air discharge end ofthe cab Ventilating fan 61 projects Y downwardly through openings in the Ventilating ducts 53 and ,into the cab I. The central vertical portion of lthe hatch end plate 5| projects upwardly from the adjacent cab roofV portion 29 and the Vertical y central portion of `the hatch partition V55 also extends upwardly the same amount and a hatch t cover plate 69 is Asecured to the top and side portions of theseupwardly extending portions and is also secured to the outer ends of the carlines 35, 35', 36 and 36' either side thereof, The upper i central portion ofthe hatch cover plate 69 is provided with` a radiator exhaust air opening'II directly above the radiator exhaust fan 6| and this exhaust opening is provided withmanually t operable shutters 13 for .controlling the flow of air exhausted therethrough, 'A lower closure plate 15 is secured between the Vertical side portions ofthe hatch cover plate 69 and the adjacent hatch carlines 35 and 36 tofform'a longitudinal air duct, generally indicated at 11, connecting the ,upper exhaust end of the radiator exhaust fan 6| and the upper inlet end of the cab Ventilating fan ,Y 61 and the .air inlet `Ventilating ducts 53, the

upper portions of which are formed by the hatch j cover plate 69.

An air filter is provided on the discharge end closure plate-8| secured by upright members 83 Vand 85 tothe hatch chord members 38 and 38 and to vertical end plate members 5I and 5I' of theventilating ducts 53 and air lte'r elements 8l vform the sides of the lter 19 and Yare positioned between thelower plates 49 of the Ventilating Hduets 53 and the bottom plate 8| of the filter 19 so that outsideV air is drawn in through the ven- YThe housing mounting 9| is secured to the centralportion of other hatch This lter, geni from the engine driven alternator I3.

carlines 35 and 35 and between the partition 51 and end plate 45, as best shown in Figures 1 and 2. An extension 93 of the hatch cover plate 69 is secured to the hatch carlines 35 and side members 23 and is provided with openings therein through which the upper exhaust ends of the radiator exhaust fans'89 and 9| and an engine exhaust pipe'95 projects upwardly on the center line of the hatch 33. The hatch cover extension 93 is shown in Figure 1 extending over and in contact with `cab roof portion 3| and the horizontal iiange of the hatch carline 36 at the opposite end of the hatch 33 is shown in contact with the adjacent lend of the cab roof portion 29. In the upper right-hand corner of Figure 1 another identical hatch 33 is shown but mounted in opposite end to end relation on the cab I in a similar manner.

Suitable coolant connections, not shown, include an engine driven coolant pump 91 .for circulating coolant through the engine coolant jackets and radiators 42 inV conventional manner. The alternator I I is connected electrically by suitable conductors and individual switching means, not shown, to each of the induction motor driven radiator exhaust fans 6|, 89 and'9I and the induction motor driven cab Ventilating fan 61 so that when supplied with power from the alternator I3 the fan or fans will operate at a speed proportional to the engine 9 and the alternator I3 and traction generator II driven thereby. As explained the blower I5 for supplying cooling air to the traction generator I I and motors 1 and the air brake compressor I6 are directly driven by the engine 9.

VIn Warm weather the shutters 25 in the air inlet openings I 9 in opposite sides of the cab I of the cab Ventilating ducts 53 are opened and filtered air is forced into the Veab interior through these ducts by means of the induction motor driven ventilatingfan 61 and the lter 19 on the outlet side thereof when supplied with power The'various shutters- 21 inthe radiator inlet air openings '2I' are also open and outside air is drawn in the radiator inlet ducts 41 and through the 1 radiators and the'heated air from the radiators is exhausted to atmosphere' through any one 'or all three radiator vexhaust air outlet ducts 59 by any or all of the induction motor fans 6|. 89 and 9| operating; as the shutters 13 in theexhaust opening 1I Vabove the exhaust fan 6| is also open in warm weather. When all three of the radiator exhaust fans 6I, 89 and 9| are operating suicient cooling air for the radiators 42 is supplied to prevent overheating when the locomotive is operated atv maximum load under adverse conditions, such as in tunnels. The cab Ventilating fan 61 is capableV of supplyin'gsuicient filtered airl for engine combustion, the air brake compressor 9, and `blowers I5 for cooling the traction generator and motors I3 and 1 when the locomotive is operated at full loadunder these adverse conditions. In cold weather inA order to maintain proper temperature of the engine coolant and the ltered air entering the cab I for 'engine combustion'and for Ventilating the traction generator and motors 'and the air compressor I6 at proper values for efcient operation thereof and also to maintain comfortable temperature in the cab for reduced values of ambient air Yternperature; the various radiator shutters Y21 may be closed separately or in Vcombination and the radiator exhaust fans 89 and 9| shut down and the exhaust shutters 13 in the exhaust opening 'perature therein. When the `locomotive adjacent the radiator exhaust fanti may he moved to the closed position. The heated-air from the radiator exhaust fan 6I is then diverted through the duct 11 to cab Ventilating,

ator shutters 2 controlling the air flow through a portion of the radiator orV radiators 42 to the exhaust fan 6l are opened slightly and the shutters T3 adjacent the exhaust side of this fan and the shutters in the inlet openings of the Ventilating duct may be fully closed so that all the heated air from the radiator exhaust fan 6I is delivered through the duct 'l1 to the Ventilating fan 6l from which it is discharged through the filter to the interior of the cab to prevent freezing of the engine coolant when the engine is idling and the above mentioned fans are operating at a slower rate proportional to the engine speed.

. The shutters 25,21 and 13 and ventilatingand radiatorfans 61, 6I, 89 and` 9l may accordingly be operated separately or invarious combinations to maintain suicient clean air at proper temperatures in the cab l for the comfort of the crew and to maintain proper engine coolant temperature for efhcient operation of the locomotive for wide ranges in load conditions on the locomotive and ambient air temperatures.

The provision of separate radiator exhaust fans 63 and ducts 59 also provides series or series parallel air flow through different portions of the radiators 42 when some of the exhaust fans are operated and the shutters 21 in the radiator air inlet openings 2| are tightly closed. In this case air is drawn downwardly through the exhaust ducts 59 in which the exhaust fans 63 are not operating and upwardly through the exhaust ducts in which the exhaust fans are operating.

I claim:

1. In a locomotive, a cab including power operated traction and braking means requiring air at proper temperature for eflicient operation and cooling thereof, said cab having a Ventilating air duct including a Ventilating fan and having an outside air inlet opening and a fan discharge opening inside the cab, shutter means in the inlet air opening for controlling the air flow therethrough and a filter on the discharge opening, a cooling air duct including cooling radiators for certain of the power operated means and radiator cooling fans and having outside air inlet and discharge openings, the outside air inlet openings of said cooling duct having shutters therein for controlling inlet air ilow, and a connecting air duct having one end connected to one discharge opening of the radiator cooling duct and the other end connected to the inlet of the Ventilating duct between the inlet shutters and Ventilating fan, said connecting air duct having an outside air discharge opening provided with shutters therein adjacent one cooling fan for controlling the amount of heated air from the radiator through the discharge opening in the connecting duct to control the amount of now dul'ctconnected'tocertain of the ontsic'le air openings in the cab, a cooling radiator thereingand `separate radiator `exhaust air' ducts veach including an exhaust fan, a Ventilating air duct connectedto the other cab.4 air inlet openings and including a Ventilating fan and filter for discharging iiltered air into the cab and a connecting air ductconnectingone of the radiator exhaust air ducts to the Ventilating duct ahead of 4the Ventilating fan `and filter therein and having an exhaust air opening including air flow controlrneans for controlling the amount of heated exhaust air from one exhaustfan through the connecting duct to the Ventilating duct andi through theexhausta'ir opening'in the connectl ing duct. i

3. Ina locomotive, a cab :structure having outside' air inlet openings in opposite sides of the cab adjacent the roof and'exhaust openingsv in the cab roof and including an internal, combustion engine and an alternator, electric tracutionmeansjan Aair brake compressor and a blower for the traction means operable joy the engine, va Ventilating air duct connected between "certain of thecab inlet` openings having an outlet opening inthe cab and including a ventilating fan and filter, a cooling air duct connected between certain other of the cab inlet openings of heated air therethrough to the Ventilating and including engine cooling radiators, exhaust air ducts leading from the radiators to each of the cab exhaust openings, one of said exhaust openings having exhaust shutters therein, a radiator exhaust fan in each exhaust duct, an air connecting duct connecting the exhaust air duct provided with exhaust shutters to the inlet of the Ventilating air duct, said exhaust shutters operable to regulate the heated air from at least one of the radiators to the exhaust opening and to the inlet of the Ventilating duct, and induction motors for driving the Ventilating and exhaust fans and adapted to be connected to the engine driven alternator so that the speed of these fans are proportional to that of the alternator.

4. In a locomotive cab having openings in the side walls and roof and a hatch covering the roof opening having a Ventilating duct connecting openings in the opposite side walls of the cab and having an outlet in the cab interior, a Ventilating fan and filter in the duct for forcing filtered air through the outlet, a cooling duct connecting the other openings in opposite side walls of the cab, radiators in the cooling ducts adjacent the opening and partitions in the cooling duct extending between the radiators forming separate radiator exhaust ducts opening upwardly out of the hatch, a radiator exhaust fan in each exhaust duct, and an air connecting duct connected between at least one exhaust duct and the Ventilating duct ahead of the Ventilating fan, said connecting air duct having an upwardly opening air outlet including shutters therein.

5. In a hatch for a roof opening of a locomotive cab a Ventilating duct having inlet openings at the sides and a bottom outlet, a filter in the outlet and a Ventilating fan in the Ventilating duct for forcing air through the filter, a cooling duct having side inlets,` cooling radiators in the inlets, partitions in the cooling duct forming a plurality of exhaust ducts opening upwardly out of the hatch, an exhaust fan in each exhaust duct, and a connecting duct having an upwardly extending exhaust outlet including shutters and connecting the outlet of at least one exhaust duct 'slag-81112142 7 te the ventilatingV duct ahead of the, ventiltine fan.

6- In a loccinctivc, a cab includingv a cooling air duct and a Ventilating air duct having air inlet and air outlet branches,A said cooling air duct including outside air inlet openings each including shutters, outside air outlet openings, one. outlet opening including shutters, radiators and separatemotor driven radiator cooling fans, said air inlet branch of the Ventilating duct having one end connected to the cooling air duct between the outlet therein, including shutters and the radiators and having an outside air in- 1ct opening, including shutters, in the other endy said air outlet branch of the Ventilating duct. extending fr'om a point between the ends of the inlet branch and having an Outlet Opening within the calc and an an' lier and a meier driven ian in the Outlet branch for orcine filtered air inte the cab..

'1, In a loconiotive,A a cab including separate cooling air outlet ducts, each having a radiator, a motor driven cooling fan and outside air Outlet openings, one air outlet opening including shutters, a cooling air inlet duct` connected to the cooling air outlet ducts and having a pluraltr 0f; Outside inlet openings, each inlet cpening having shutters therein and a vent1ating duct having an inlet branch and an air outlet branch, said inlet branch being connected at one end to the cooling air outlet duct between the outlet opening, having shutters therein, and the radiators and having an outside air inlet opening including shutters in the other end, said outlet branch of the Ventilating duct extending from a point intermediate the ends of the inlet branch and having an air outlet opening Within the locomotive cab and also including an air filter Vand a motor driven fan for delivering filtert@ air into the cab.

EUGENE WILLIAMS KETTERIN G.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

